Again this year the DVOC Montauk group spent two delightful
nights in private homes on Shelter Island, about 20 miles from Montauk. Al Kronschnabel
provided the food, Colin Campbell the cooking and Malt Scotch, Bob Krinsky of
New York the local directions in Central Park and Jones Beach, Frank Windfelder
the birds, and Erica Brendel/Chris Walters the always inept leadership!

This year’s 10 participants were fortunate to have exceptionally
close views of the best birds seen. Among the 97 species observed (not counting
the beautiful Mandarin Duck drake), we had a drake Barrow’s Goldeneye
at 75 yards (Bayville), female King Eiders (at three spots), 2 American Bitterns
at 15 yards (Quogue), Lapland Longspur at 10 yards (Jones Beach), 3 Iceland
Gulls at 50 yards (Montauk jetties), Long-eared Owl at 10 yards (Central Park),
a close Short-eared Owl on a post (Shinnecock area), 10 Harlequin Ducks at 100
yards (Pt. Lookout), a close Red-necked Grebe (Pt. Lookout), perched Lesser
Black-backed Gull at 50 yards (Shinnecock), Rusty Blackbird at 40 yards (Central
Park), and 1000 Common Eider and 10,000 of the three scoter species off Montauk
Point. The weekend’s low points were the lack of Kestrels and, of
course, the failure of our Eagles to score a touchdown.